ALLENTOWN, Pa. – The Cedar Crest College lacrosse team prevailed in an overtime thriller, 8-7, over SUNY Old Westbury in a non-conference game on Thursday night at the FalconPlex. Sophomore Abi Sipel (Bethlehem, Pa./Freedom) netted the eventual game winner off an assist from first-year Brooke Holley (Elkton, Md./Elkton) with 1:16 to play in the fourth overtime period to give the Falcons the victory.

The Panthers held a 2-1 edge after the first quarter. First-year Natalie Garcia (Seaford, N.Y.) deposited the opening goal for SUNY Old Westbury with 11:40 on the clock. The Falcons tied the contest when senior Emily Schoelier (Newton, N.J./Sussex County Technical) found the back of the net with 6:28 to play. Senior Nicole Abalco (Bay Shore, N.Y.) gave the visitors its second lead of the frame when she put a shot past junior goalkeeper Kayleigh Woomer (Gales Ferry, Conn./Ledyard).

The teams combined for six goals in the second stanza. The Panthers netted two-straight markers with one from senior Jessica Pedroza (Levittown, N.Y.) and the other from Abalco to build a three-goal margin, 4-1. Cedar Crest answered back with two straight of their own with sophomore Maddie Graham (Clayton, Del./Smyrna) and first-year Kylah Demarest (Vernon, N.J./Vernon Township) each scoring once to cut the deficit to one, 4-3. The squads traded goals in the remainder of the third as Old Westbury held a slim 5-4 advantage at halftime. Pedroza registered her second marker of the game with four minutes to play before the half while Graham found a cutting Schoelier with thirty-two seconds left.

After a scoreless third quarter, the Falcons went on a 3-0 run on a pair of goals from Graham and the third by Demarest to give Cedar Crest a 7-5 lead.

The Panthers rallied with a pair of goals, which included the game-tying goal with 24 seconds remaining from Pedroza to knot the game, 7-7.

After three scoreless overtime periods, the Falcons won the opening draw to start the fourth overtime. The first two shots for Cedar Crest went wide, but Holley found Sipel for the game-winner with 1:16 to play to give the Falcons the thrilling win.

Junior Kayleigh Woomer (Gales Ferry, Conn./Ledyard) secured the win in goal for the Cedar Crest, making 10 saves. Junior Kathleen Mackey (Lindenhurst, N.Y.) converted 14 saves in the loss.
Graham finished with five points on a hat trick and two assists. Demarest and Schoelier each had a pair of goals while Sipel's game-winner rounded out the scoring column. Holley pitched in two assists to close the point category.

Abalco and Pedroza each had hat tricks for SUNY Old Westbury.

The Falcons tallied 19 ground balls in the contest. Sipel had a game-high eight, Graham followed with three. Schoelier and sophomore Ashley Large (Parker, Colo./Regis Jesuit) each pitched in a pair while sophomore Lauren Jackson (Ambler, Pa./Wissahickon), junior Adriana Hinkle (Palmerton, Pa./Homeschooled (played for Lehighton)), first-year Adriana Dias (Bethlehem, Pa./Bethlehem Catholic), and senior Kailyn Jones (Weatherly, Pa./Weatherly) rounded out the column with one apiece.

Cedar Crest also had seven caused turnovers in the game. Sipel led the way with three. Jackson came next with two while Hinkle and sophomore Rachel Bilger (Philadelphia, Pa./Upper Dublin) each had one.

The Falcons recorded 13 draw controls in the triumph. Demarest had a game-high six. Graham pitched in four, while Holley, Jackson, and Schoelier registered one each.

Cedar Crest (2-3 overall) closes out its four-game homestand on Saturday, April 8 against Trinity Washington University for Senior Day. First draw is set for 2:00 p.m. SUNY Old Westbury (2-3 overall) resumes conference play on Saturday at the United States Merchant Marine Academy at 9:30 a.m.

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